May 16, 2005

Seems like chain reaction is how we were bound/doomed to operate! Anything India or someone else does, we follow, when there are enough brains or brawns to have been the originator.

Recently, Close-up has started a campaign to look for talented singers. But just after the wave of 'The Indian Idol' has swept over us. The 'The xxxx Idol' is a licensed show belonging... i donno probably to Simon Fuller or his company... or whoever. Even though India had similar contests running on some of its channels, the 'idol' proved a bigger hit. The difference probably was the mass voting that was allowed on the 'idol' show, and its marketing. Anyways, that show was a massive hit here too, and i know people just wished they could vote for 'Rahul' or 'Abhijeet' or 'Sana'. And now that an end has been brought to that, Close-Up has launched its own show. Its own ...verrrry similar ...show. Why now? Whatever they may say in self defence, i'd like to say that i would have very much liked to have seen this hunt on tv before I saw the 'idol' show.

Benson and Hedges had a hunt like this. It was called Benson and Hedges Star Search. Consider that, and add proper tv coverage (I mention 'proper' becuase they did air lil half songs from the contest after it was over)* and you would have had something like the '' show 2/3 years back! But this search has over the past years lost all its credibility with reports of nepotism and other corruption.

Another thing that bothers me, are the music production houses that do not bother making music videos! And when they do make it they sell it on CD or distribute it with their sold audio CDs! ARE THEY $%*#$$Q%!$% kidding me?! They missed the whole point of making videos to promote songs and artists. A video should be made and aired before the actual CD hits the market or when it just has! While they ignore this fact, they are releasing the CDs (I frankly don see the point of releasing such products if they aren't going to market it!) and no body other than friends and family know about it. Word gets spread by word of mouth. And you have ads on print! BUT, I also do hope that one day if we do figure out why to make videos and why to make music, good music, we dont get sexed up like the indian media. I watch the paki music channel The Music and it gives me a lot of peace... i hope we can retain sanity at the end of the day.

*Sometimes i get the feeling that our tv channels operate just for airing adverts.